WELZOW AIRFIELD

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R005600360010-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: November 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 12, 2000
• Sequence Number: 10
• Publication Date: July 31, 1950
• Content Type: REPORT

INTELLOFAX 24 Approved For Release
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DATE OF CONTENT
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DATE PREPARED__
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REFERENCES
PAGES. 3 ENCLOSURES (NO. & TYPE) ' sketch on ditto
REMARKS
SOURCE ^
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2. The landing field was sodded. There were no hangars. The old aircraft
A w
r
fil' e
field. (2)
31 July 1550
1? Seven biplanes and thirty-six twin-engine bombers, of the same type as
previously seen at L.he Oottbus (U 52/A 57) airfield, were staridin6 on
the eastern edge of the ".elzow (U 52/A 44) airfield on 6 June 1950. (1)
sight twin-engine bombers with blue propeller hubs landed individually
at the field at 9 a.m. A radio truck with an extended rod antenna, a fire
truck, an s abulance and a truck were at the take-off point. There was no
flying up to e- f of a northeast-bound twin-
engine plane, were seen at the
4. A German employed with the unit said that meals w. re prepared daily for about
1,000 soldiers and about 200 officers, the latter taking; their meals in a
separate cantonment buildin;. (3) The soldiers and junior sergeants wore
black-bordered, light blue epaulets, most of them with crossed propellor
insignia but some with radio operator insignia. A colonel was CO of the unit.
Eighty percent of the soldiers wore decorations. The officers and 1;t-i were
between 20 and 25 years of age. Only some of trie officers
qwere uartered bil.Leted
private houses in ":elzow, while the remaining; troops ce
e
revetments in the ;a rthern, western and southern seetiorsoi trac. e
empty. the approaches around the field were guarded by sentries. There
was no railroad connection. bonze cantonment buildings were in the woods
on the eastern edge of the field. A radio mast was supported by guy wires
on the roof of a cantonment building. Searchlights or AA gun emplacements
were not seen.
The field was occupied by 34 twin-engine planes and 6 biplanes between 27
May and 17 June 1950. (1) The twin-engine planes had in-line engines, which
extended almost as f:r as nose of fuselage, douule rudder asse"Iblies, fuse-
lage protruding beyond the tail, cockpit in line with trailing edge of
wings, machine gun protruding beyond rear section of cockpit, antenna leading;
from cockpit to tail u pit:, and two cannons in each wing.
CONFIDENTIAL
CLASSIFICATION SLC 40-COUTNOL/US O? ICI!'tLS WNtY
This document is hereby regraded to
CONFIDENTIAL in accordance with the
letter of 16 October 1978 from the
M
CLASSIFICATION
COUN T kY __.a Soviet Lone of Germany
TOPIC Airfield
iDEINFTC~I L-00457R005600360010-4
LUATION-- --PLACE OBTAINED___ 25X1 A
A
r the
D' for of Central Intelligence to
Ac QrstReleasei2OO 5/18 : C
Next Review Date: 2008
 Approved For Release 2000AN 0- 4
1~~I fA47ROO56OO36OO
SIC T_CONTF L/US OFFICIAd ONLY
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cantonment buildings at the fad. The unit arrived from the r'insterwalde
(N 52/A 15) airfield in early April 1950 because of expansion work being
done there, (4) The higher headquarters of the unit was stationed in
Finsterwalde (5) High-ranking officers came from there every two weeks
for inspections. Food was also supplied from Finsterwalde. It was de-
duced from markings on tank cars that aircraft fuel came from the Leuna
or Bralag plants. 6)
5, There was no large-scale flying, activity between 27 May and 17 June 1950.
A twin-engine plane took off every da, about 11 headed in the direc-
tion of Cottbus and somet:Lies did not return until the following morning.
The weather was fair between 10:30 p.m. and 1 r'.,mo at the night of 14 June
1950 and two-seal: biplanes made local flights. The crew was changed after
each landing. A searchlight was in operation during the landings. The
runway was marked by red lamps. The planes were refueled from tank trucks
which hauled the fuel from railroad tank cars at the V elzowt ilroad station.
(7)
6.. From 120 to 130 soldiers wearing black-bordered, blue epaulets and radio
insignia passed the field guard on 10 June 1950. They were escorted to
the swimming pool by a sergeant. Thee were restricted to quarters. A
patrol of two officers, one junior sergeant and an air force driver, all
wearing red arm bands, patrolled the area in a jeep.
1 Anaex: sketch.
CONFIDENTIAL'
`Ju ~ L.:+T-~I(J.i~.l!"WJ.r/~J 'vC~s'I lol.`~L.J vir+.~Y
Approved For Release 2000/05/18 : CIA-RDP82-00457R005600360010-4